Dark Blue
by ToaXabineh
Summary: Jack returns to where Airachnid nearly killed his mother. While exploring, wondering what he should've done differently, Jack finds something he didn't expect: a giant, furred and injured humanoid. Jack isn't about to leave someone to die, but he never knew that helping this person would wrap him up in a new world as crazy as an alien war. Fam/friend fluff! Temporary hiatus!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone! So this is an idea I've had drifting in my head, and I decided to type it up to see how it's received! So please let me know what you think of it, because I want to know if you all like it!**

 **Real quick thanks to my friend, the awesome Rian Moeru, for looking over the chapter for me to let me know if I needed to fix anything that didn't make sense! If you like TFP stories that involve Jack, definitely go check out her stuff, and the story she and I both write together called "Distorted Reflections"! XD**

 **Anyways, enjoy, and please let me know if you like this story so far and want to read more!**

* * *

Jack wasn't sure why he returned to the construction sight among the warehouses. After the situation with M.E.C.H and Airachnid and...and his mother.

It had been nearly a week since then, and his mother was still in a coma after the entire ordeal, and she had yet to wake. With how precarious her health was, Jack was rarely allowed to see her for more than an hour at a time before he was ushered out so that the doctors could continue working on stabilizing her, and how Jack _loathed_ being unable to see her and be at her side.

Jack knew he should hate this place now, after what had happened here, especially now with the government and Autobots talking in whispers, trying to figure out where Jack should go until his mom awoke.

 _If_ she woke up.

And yet here he was, standing in the dark at a quarter past nine and staring up at the giant structure that was only a third of the way built.

Jack knew he shouldn't have snuck out of his house. If the government-hired bodyguard woke up and found him missing...

Yeah. Arcee would have a fit.

But Jack couldn't help but wonder if he could've done something different, if he could've done more and prevented his mother from being hurt. If he'd just done one little thing more, or took a different path...

So that's why he now slowly moved along, peering into large, empty, metal storage compartments and examining crates curiously, eyes searching for something he could've done or used.

Despite the lot being empty, there was still a sense of foreboding, at least for Jack. This was where he'd nearly lost his life. This was where he'd nearly lost his mother.

This was where his mother had been knocked into a coma that no doctor was sure of its duration or if his mother would even wake ever again...

Jack shook those thoughts from his head, forcing himself to focus. He needed to know if there was something more he could've done, something he missed.

Sure, maybe he was just being paranoid. Either way, he was here now, so why not just check and make sure?

Reaching an especially large shipping container, Jack managed to pry the heavy doors open. It was dark, and empty-

Wait, no. It wasn't empty. There was a large cage in the back of the room-like container with a big, furry... _something_ in it. It was too dark to tell, and so Jack crept closer, squinting. He pulled his phone from his pocket and flipped it open, using the light from the screen like a flashlight as he approached the heavy steel cage.

The form was breathing, Jack realized once he got close enough. It was covered in blueish-grey fur, but looked almost...Human, in form. An alien, like the 'bots? A person subjected to experiments courtesy of M.E.C.H? Either way, Jack wasn't about to leave whoever (or whatever, depending on just what the large beast of a humanoid was) to rot away or starve to death. It was a wonder that it- or he, considering the muscular build and flat chest, was alive after almost a week.

Slowly approaching, Jack almost reached out to touch the bars, but the whispering crackle from the cold metal alerted the teen to the fact that the walls of the cage were electrified.

But Jack was smart, and it only took a minute or so to find the wires that transmitted the electrical current to the cage. A few good, strong yanks and the wires were pulled free, the electricity sizzling away. Jack waited a few minutes, just to be safe, then he set aside his phone, leaving it open so the screen could continue to illuminate his surroundings as he reached forward to examine the locked cage door. The lock was electrical, and had needed a key card before Jack pulled the power. But now, after the cords had been pulled and the source of electricity for the lock was sapped away, the lock had sealed itself shut. A precaution, no doubt. But Jack was always good at improvising, and mechanics happened to be one subject he knew by heart.

Using a coin from his pocket, Jack managed to undo the screws on the front panel of the locking mechanism, revealing its inner-workings. It took a few tries, but Jack managed, in the end, to twist the correct wires together and unlock the cage door.

With a small crow of success, Jack grabbed his phone and hurried into the cell, finding that his worry for this being, oddly enough, outweighed his fear. Jack knelt beside the unconscious form, using his phone to examine them.

Jack's heart gave a violent twist when he found that the person (he figured it was a person, at least) was covered in injuries. Cuts littered the poor being's body, some crudely stitched in what Jack knew was the incorrect way, others only having scabbed over. Jack was now so very suddenly aware of the dried blood that coated the floor, and Jack found it a real wonder that the humanoid hadn't bled out. Jack couldn't see through the fur, but he was sure that there were bruises all over, and with how two fingers were bent at an odd angle, the teen knew that there were broken bones, too.

Not for the first time in his life, Jack wasn't quite sure what to do. He couldn't just leave this guy here! But he was so large, and no doubt heavy, how could he get him out of here? Either way, the person needed medical attention, and Jack knew he couldn't call 911, probably not even the 'bots! He was on his own, this time.

Jack glanced at the cage's open door uncertainly, mind scrambling.

He knew how to treat these injuries. He'd learned, thanks to his mother and her incurable worry for him. Jack was confident that he could set and splint the broken fingers, clean the cuts, redo the stitches and even handle any infections that had set in. But all the necessary supplies was at his home, his home where a government-appointed bodyguard was passed out on the couch, and an overly-concerned Arcee would be later, too. The body-guard never went into his room, and if he kept the wooden blinds of his window shut, then Arcee couldn't peek in. Jack didn't have to worry about Arcee running any heat-scans on the house, he knew that for sure, she respected privacy as much as the next person- er, Cybertronian. All the supplies he would need were upstairs too...

So all he had to do was somehow get this behemoth of a being upstairs and into his room without being noticed!

...Yeah. Easier said than done.

But Jack would manage it, either way. He had to.

He had to, or this person before him could very well die.

With his mom hanging on the edge of life, Jack wasn't about to leave this person to the same fate. He'd find a way, even if he had to drag the being to his home himself.

* * *

Jack was honestly believing in little miracles at this point.

Somehow, Jack had managed to find a wheelbarrow at the construction sight (okay, maybe that wasn't a miracle, more of him just utilizing equipment that every construction sight in the world had). It took him a good fifteen minutes, but with some effort he'd loaded the injured humanoid into the wheelbarrow. Once that was done, Jack had to take every backroad and alleyway he knew to avoid being spotted with his unusual cargo, and it took at least forty-five minutes to reach his house. He'd had to hide the wheelbarrow and humanoid, then checked to see if Arcee was home, or if the bodyguard in the living room was awake. Finding no Arcee and a snoring "babysitter", Jack was able to sneak in through the door in the garage with one of the giant humanoid's arms slung over his shoulder (and man, this guy was heavy, but Jack wasn't about to leave him out on the front lawn). Slowly, _carefully_ , he half carried, half dragged his cargo along. It took about ten minutes of stumbling, quiet swearing and avoiding any creaky steps to get the furry human-like person up the stairs.

Jack didn't really care about blood on his sheets as he managed to slide the arm off of his shoulders and struggled to drag the humanoid onto his bed. Once the beastly being was settled on the small bed on its back, Jack went to hide the wheelbarrow he had borrowed (yes, _borrowed_ , he would return it to the construction sight tomorrow, he promised himself).

After that was said and done, Jack hurried back upstairs and ransacked his mother's room and bathroom. As a nurse (and concerned, possibly paranoid mother), June kept quite a bit of high-end medical supplies at hand. While being in his mother's room reminded him of the woman's precarious situation, making his heart twist in his chest uncomfortably, Jack knew that his mother would understand his going through her belongings.

It didn't take too long to find all he needed and Jack quickly returned to his room, all the required supplies in his arms.

The furry humanoid was still where Jack had left him, unconscious on the bed. Pulling up the chair from his desk, Jack sat at the bedside and, trying to get comfortable since he would no doubt be here awhile, began the long, arduous process of tending his patient's wounds.

For four hours he sat there, only getting up twice (once to retrieve a wet washcloth and the other time to put it into the laundry and get a new, unbloodied wet cloth). While he was no doctor, June had taught him well in case of emergencies (this wasn't probably the kind of emergency his mother had imagined, but Jack figured it counted all the same). The teen redid each messy, ugly, undoubtedly painful stitch that had been done completely wrong. Every cut that had been left to scab, Jack had cleaned, treated in case of any infections that may have set in, and stitched those injuries, too.

Around the hour and a half mark, Jack realized that a fever had set in when he'd been treating a cut on his patient's forehead and felt how warm he was. That was when he'd gone to get the first damp cloth, hoping to ease the fever, if only a little. He'd then gone back to stitching the cuts, brow furrowed with worry and fingers aching from all the stitches he was having to do.

But he'd continued on all the same, and when he was sure that he'd treated every cut he could, Jack moved to the broken fingers on the being's right hand. He was more than a little nervous, but he knew he couldn't just leave the fingers untended. It was difficult, but Jack managed to set the bones, wincing when pained groans (decidedly _human_ groans) left the poor, injured humanoid. Jack quickly splinted the two fingers, just like he'd been taught, then went to feel for a fever once again.

Finding the cloth dry and bloody, with a fever still settling over the humanoid, Jack went to get another wet cloth. That was at the three and a half hour mark.

For the last half hour, Jack sat and waited, watching to see if the fever got better or worse. Finally, after thirty minutes, Jack decided to try and sweat the fever out. He'd grabbed the spare blankets from his closet and piled them atop his giant of a patient.

And that left Jack standing at the bedside, wondering what to do now.

All he could really do was wait. And lock the door, that was another thing he could do. He had to keep his "babysitter" out, after all. He also should probably get a glass of water, he mused. His patient was no doubt dehydrated, and Jack knew with some patience he could coax some water down the humanoid's throat.

And after that? After that, Jack would get some sleep. It was roughly three in the morning, and he was exhausted.

This was going to be a long week, Jack could tell.


	2. Chapter 2

**Woohoo! Second chapter already done! Yay!**

 **So, thank you to those who took the time to review and let me know if they liked the story! I really appreciate it! Also thanks to everyone who faved and followed, too!**

 **Also, a reviewer was talking about me not calling Hank by his name. I just wanted to let them and everyone else know that I do know his name! I've seen the first two seasons of X-men:Evolution! The only reason I didn't use his name was because Jack doesn't know his name, and the story was following him! In this chapter, similarly, the story will follow Hank for a bit and since he doesn't know Jack's name, Jack will be referred to as 'teen' or 'kid' or something like that until Hank learns his name! It was a story choice, don't worry, I'm not going through this story without knowing names or anything XD**

 **So...Yep! Please continue to review and let me know what you think of the story, as well as share any ideas you might have! Let me know if you think Jack should be a mutant, and if so, what his ability should be! Who should Jack get close to besides Hank? Stuff like that!**

 **Disclaimer's on my prof.!**

 **Enjoy reading!**

* * *

One week.

It had been one long, dragging week since Jack had found the beastly humanoid. In that time, his patient hadn't woken, and Jack's mother was still comatose. And even after almost two weeks, Jack still had vivid nightmares each night:

He would be reaching for his mother, nearly grabbing her, and then the webbing would _snap_. His mother would scream as she plummeted towards the ground, and Arcee would reach for her, managing to catch her...

But falling at such a speed and being caught by hands made of _metal_?

Every nightmare would end the same: with his mother unconscious, neck at an odd angle and blood seeping from under her hair-

And then Jack would wake then, every time without fail, only just barely managing to choke down a scream. Needless to say, Jack didn't get much sleep now. Most hours of the night he spent staring out his window and wondering how his mother was doing or, for the past seven nights, tending to the injured humanoid he was hiding in his room.

Jack didn't know how, but by some miracle he had managed to successfully hide his patient in his room the week. He supposed he pulled this off by acting normal, spending most of the day's keeping up with his school studies (despite being pulled out for the rest of the semester in light of the situation with June), cooking meals for himself and his bodyguard (he liked the man, Jordie, who was pretty friendly, if sometimes a little lazy), visiting his mother at any chance he was given and spending an hour or two at Autobot HQ to reassure everyone that he was doing okay. He'd only take a few minutes at a time to check on the unconscious humanoid in his room, and then spend his nights caring for the poor, injured being's still painful wounds.

Whenever he tended to the unconscious being's wounds, Jack would talk to him, mostly about his mother. He would tell the humanoid how the doctors said that despite a fractured neck, the injury wasn't deadly and with luck, she would heal completely. He would tell him how his visits to his mother went, and how she was gaining color in her cheeks finally. Jack would tell him about how the doctors still didn't know when or if she would wake, and explain why he wasn't handed to his next of kin or the system for care while his mother was in the hospital (the reasons there being Jack had no family left to go to and since he knew about the Autobots he couldn't be handed over to a random orphanage for foster home while waiting for his mother to wake up).

Sometimes, when Jack felt too depressed to talk about June, he would talk about mechanics, or explain what he was doing while cleaning and checking the humanoid's wounds. While he knew that the beastly being couldn't hear him, it sure made Jack feel a lot better to get everything off his chest, even if his audience happened to be unconscious and incapacitated. There were just somethings one couldn't talk about with their bodyguard or Cybertronian guardian, and it felt nice being able to say whatever he wanted.

By the seventh night under Jack's care, the large furry humanoid's condition was much improved. The cuts that littered him were well on their way to healing shut, his broken fingers were now no longer swollen, and Jack had successfully managed to ward of any infections, even sweating out the beast's fever and keeping him hydrated.

All in all, Jack was proud of his work. It did a person good when they knew they managed to help someone (even if he wasn't sure what or who this "someone" was) and he found himself feeling less depressed, less alone...

Less _terrified_.

Not to say that there weren't those times when Jack wanted to just breakdown and cry. His mother was in a fragging _coma_ , after all! Her neck had been nearly snapped! There were so many things that could go wrong: she could go brain-dead, become paralyzed...

But Jack refused to cry. He'd always had to be strong, ever since he was little and his father left. He would stay strong now, too, if only to keep the 'bots from worrying.

Jack jumped, startled from his thoughts when the giant form on his bed groaned softly. The teen was quickly on his feet, moving away from his makeshift bed of blankets on the floor and instead to the bedside of the beast. Jack hesitantly pressed a hand to the being's forehead, eyes searching the stunningly human (aside from the fur) face. Jack frowned to himself, trying to figure out why the being- the man? Was in discomfort. He couldn't feel any fever...Maybe-

Jack gasped as he was suddenly flung away, his back hitting a wall painfully hard. Before Jack could register what was going on, a blue had hoisted him off the ground by the collar of his shirt, and Jack found himself staring into dark, feral eyes.

For having two broken fingers and so many wounds, this guy was fragging fast, not to mention strong.

Jack squirmed slightly as he met the piercing glare, suddenly aware of his heart hammering painfully against his ribcage.

The beast growled, wild eyes staring at Jack with such anger that it took the teen a minute to gather his wits about him. Once he did, though, the boy was immediately looking at the cuts on the arm that held him and hoping that this humanoid knew english.

"P...Please." Jack murmured. "You're going to pull out your stitches..."

The beast fell silent, staring at him for a long moment. Slowly, the ferality drained from the humanoid's eyes, leaving him looking confused. Jack carefully touched the furry knuckles of the hand that clutched his shirt.

"I'm not going to hurt you." The teen promised, managing a shaky smile. "I can't even handle bullies at school, let alone you."

Slowly, the humanoid lowered him, several emotions flickering across his oddly expressive face. Jack recognized a few of these emotions, such as surprise, confusion and...Fear?

Jack only continued to smile nervously, gingerly patting the furry knuckles of the hand that held his collar.

It was just him and the beast.

* * *

Hank had been expecting a fight when he awoke. He'd gone down fighting anyways, and had only fell unconscious after several tranquilizers.

But the first thing he was aware of, the first thing he saw...was a pair of unsettling, dark blue eyes.

It took him a few moments to realize that he had a teenager of roughly sixteen pinned to a wall and hoisted a good foot off the ground. He was pale, and of average height with dark raven hair and his eyes...

Those eyes, they seemed to almost stare into Hank's soul, they were somewhat disturbing...

The boy was smiling, albeit anxiously, and was gently touching his knuckles in an attempt to calm him. The boy wasn't a student from the Institute, Hank could clearly see that, so this was a stranger. Someone who, more likely than not, had never seen a mutant (especially one like him).

But the boy only looked somewhat afraid, and instead appeared more concerned than anything else.

The teen, seeming to recognize that something had changed, whether it be Hank's posture or his expression, relaxed slightly.

"It's okay." He said slowly to Hank, his voice warm and unafraid. "I...I know this all must be really confusing, but you're safe and-"

A knock made both Hank and the boy jump, and the unsettling eyes finally turned away from Hank, instead looking at the door. A knot of worry formed in Hank's stomach and he released the boy's collar, stumbling back a bit from the door. The teen seemed to see his fear, and quickly gestured for him to stop and stay silent. The youth then returned his gaze to the door.

"Uh...Yeah?" He called, moving a bit closer to the door but not opening it. A man's voice came through in return.

"Hey kid, you alright? I thought I heard something-"

"I'm fine." The teen replied quickly. "Just messing around, that's all. Trying to keep myself occupied."

A chuckle from outside the door.

"Alright then, just be careful, okay?"

"Yeah, no problem. Sorry for the scare, Jordie."

Hank could now hear footsteps fading away as the man, Jordie, left. For a long minute, Hank and the teenager stood in silence, both listening and waiting breathlessly, the tension in the air palpable. Finally, the boy sighed with relief.

"He's gone. Don't worry, he's just a...a babysitter, of sorts." He explained, looking at Hank, smiling. "He doesn't come into my room, so you're safe in here."

A worried frown then came to the boy's face, his eyes turning to the injuries on Hank's arms and torso. He hesitantly moved forward, gesturing to the bed to Hank's left.

"Come on, let's get you back onto the bed before you pull your stitches."

Hank hadn't noticed before, but he did, indeed, have stitches. In fact, as he looked down at himself, he realized that none of these were the sloppy and painful work of the strange, masked men who had captured him. These stitches were new and done correctly, no doubt applied by a talented and careful hand. Hank looked back up at the teen, confused. This boy had managed such good work?

The teen smiled, making a gesture.

"Just sit there- er, maybe I should change those sheets first..." The sheets were dirty with dried blood, Hank noticed this at the teen's passing mention of it. "Just...Just sit down. I don't know if my desk chair will work, it's barely holding together as it is, so just...Just sit there, I guess? I'll be right back, I promise! I'll just go get some clean sheets and some food for you, okay? You're probably starving."

Before Hank could manage a reply, the boy was already slipping out of the door, shutting it quietly behind him.

And now Hank was all alone in the small room.

Hank knew that, with his injuries, he wouldn't be able to get far. The communicator he kept with him was missing, probably still back with those vile masked men (or at least where they had taken him, he doubted the boy would've been able to bring him here if they had been around). His best bet was to stay here and simply ask for the boy to supply him with a phone so he could call the Institute. The boy seemed reasonable enough, rather shocking since he wasn't a mutant, at least as far as Hank could tell, and the boy had probably never met someone like him before.

Either way, the teen...He obviously had his heart in the right place. Judging from all the stitches and his splinted fingers, the youth had likely spent hours tending to his wounds (and he'd done well, too. He was a smart kid, as far as Hank could tell, and he couldn't help but smile at that).

He couldn't help but wonder, however...Why _did_ the kid help him? It must've taken ages to get him here, since Hank was a good three hundred or so pounds, and taking the time to painstakingly stitch each wound, to keep him hydrated? The boy didn't have to do any of it, and yet he did...

The door opened and in stumbled the boy with a tray of food balanced on one hand and a sheet clutched in the other. He lightly kicked the door shut behind himself, setting the food on his desk.

"Here, go ahead an eat up." The teen said, offering a smile to Hank as he went to the bed, pulling off the sheets. "I didn't know what you eat, so...Yeah. I just got a few different things."

Hank watched quietly as the teen began fixing the bedding, then he finally spoke.

"Why are you helping me?"

The teen jumped violently, startled by Hank. He obviously hadn't known whether or not he could talk, Hank mused, as dark blue eyes turned to him. The youth's mouth was slightly agape, and he was clearly stunned.

"U-...Uh...Wh-what...?"

Hank barely caught the whispered words. He repeated his question, this time speaking more slowly, keeping his voice low and even in hopes to reassure the boy that he wasn't wild or insane.

"I asked, why are you helping me?"

It took a minute or two for the teenager to recompose himself, but Hank waited patiently, meeting his gaze evenly. Finally, the boy managed to speak.

"W-well...So you can talk. I wasn't sure." A shaky smile and he returned to changing the sheets. "And why wouldn't I help you? You were- you still are, hurt. I wasn't about to leave you to die."

The boy was taking this all in stride, and at an astounding rate at that. Hank frowned, moving forward slightly.

"I'm giant, covered in fur, and I just pinned you to a wall not five minutes ago-"

"Considering how civil you're acting now? I'm pretty sure you did what you did because you were scared, and I can't blame you." A shrug of thin shoulders. "Besides, I've seen weirder. This isn't all that strange, at least not to me. Now c'mon, sit down before you pull out those stitches. I don't want to have to redo those, my fingers are still hurting from doing them the first time around."

Hank moved towards the newly made bed, still somewhat suspicious. But the boy simply waited, watching him with those unsettling eyes, and once Hank was sitting he grabbed the tray and held it out to him.

"Thank you."

The teen smiled, inclining his head.

"No problem." His smile then turned into a worried frown as he dragged over the rickety desk chair from the desk and sat down. "How do you feel? I-I did my best to patch you up, but I only know what my mom taught me, so..."

Hank, seeing the hesitance on the teen's face, couldn't help but smile slightly.

"You did a good job. Thank you, I know it must've taken you ages to do all this."

The kid shrugged again, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"Just a few hours. I just wish I could've done more." A pause, then, "I'm really sorry if this sounds rude, but...What exactly...Well...What-"

"Am I?" Hank finished for him, a knowing expression on his face. The teen nodded, cheeks red. "I'm not an alien or anything, if that's what you think. I'm a mutant."

A frown.

"A...A mutant?"

Hank nodded, taking a bite from a piece of buttered bread that the boy had brought. Swallowing, he continued.

"Yes. I'm a human, just like you, but I have a special gene that provided me with a mutation in the form of special abilities. I'm not the only one, there are plenty of mutants out there, all with different abilities and appearances. Most of us with a mutation look human, there's very few who have appearances that are different, like me."

The boy hung onto his words, and Hank could almost believe he was back in the science classroom in Bayvile, teaching a class. It was stunning, how much trust this boy was placing in him, and for the first time he was being treated like a person by someone who wasn't another mutant. The teen wasn't afraid, and he wanted to know, wanted to _learn_ about him. Him! Of all people, the kid wanted to know about Hank!

And oddly enough, Hank found he wanted to help the boy understand.

Hank gestured with a hand towards the teen.

"What's your name?"

The boy looked taken aback by the question, but replied almost immediately.

"Jack. My name's Jack."

Hank offered a furry hand, judging the teen- Jack's, reaction to the idea of shaking his large, furry, _inhuman_ hand.

"Hank Mccoy."

And Jack didn't even hesitate, shaking the man's hand.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Mccoy."

Hank could tell he was going to get along with this kid already.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey everyone! Thanks so much for all the favs, follows and reviews so far! I appreciate the support, and hope that you all continue to let me know what you think of the chapters!**

 **Also, I forgot to mention that this happens before the X men and mutants are all exposed to the general public! Only the government is aware of mutants. Also, in this chapter, things might seem to be a little fast, but that is because here's how I see it: Jack not only has been taking care of Hank, who realizes this, but Jack also is the first person who was able to calm down his 'beast side' (if you noticed that in the last chap XD). I figure this leaves Hank and Jack with a connection of sorts, an already building friendship. Hank may be telling Jack all about mutants, but that's because he's eager to be seen as a person by someone who isn't a mutant! It may seem a little bit farfetched, but hey, this is fiction! XD Anyways, just wanted to explain that!**

 **So...Yup!**

 **Disclaimer's on my prof.!**

 **Enjoy reading, and please review with ideas, or to just let me know if it's a good story so far!**

* * *

It took a good hour or so, but Hank managed to explain about mutants and the X gene to Jack. When he spoke about the Institute, Jack had stared up at him with such awe and listened with such intensity that Hank could easily remember why he'd become a teacher. Luckily, the the teen in question was openminded, which made things significantly easier than they would normally be. And so now, a tray full of food and about a dozen questions later, it was finally Hank's turn to ask Jack questions instead.

He asked where they were (and boy was he surprised when he found out he was in Nevada of all places), and he asked about how long he had been in Jack's care. At finding out he'd been unconscious for a week, Hank had shown clear shock. Jack had kept him hidden for that long? The boy had even given up his bed so that Hank could be as comfortable as possible.

"So," Hank said slowly, mulling over how to ask the most important question he had. "Just how _did_ you find me?"

Jack winced slightly, a grimace pulling at his lips.

"It's...A long story."

"And I have all the time in the world." Hank replied, smiling slightly, though it soon died away when Jack didn't return the expression. Hank reached forward with his uninjured hand, patting the teen's knee. "But really, I'd like to know why someone your age would be exploring a place so dangerous."

Jack sighed, dark eyes turning to stare at the mirror on the wall, looking somewhat...depressed.

"I...Well, I found you a week ago. I don't know if you know this, but you were hidden in a storage unit on a construction sight."

"A strange place to be, but anything can be hidden in plain sight." He relented. Jack nodded, pursing his lips.

"Yeah. I guess."

"But why were you there?" Hank pressed, frowning. Jack was silent for a moment, shifting in his seat uncomfortably.

Hank watched as the boy then stood, grabbing a roll of gauze from his desk before moving over and beginning to unwrap the old gauze around one of Hank's arms. He was keeping his hands busy, Hank mused, to distance himself from the conversation.

"Those people who kidnapped you are called M.E.C.H. They're sort of a terrorist group, or at least that's what I've been told." Jack said, gesturing vaguely to show he wasn't sure whether that was the proper term for the group. "But you see, two weeks ago, they...Well, they grabbed...They grabbed my mom. It turns out some friends of ours are involved in some heavy government stuff." Jack seemed to stumble over the words at first, but quickly recovered. "And they thought that if they kidnapped mom, then they could get all sorts of information from me..."

Hank's frown deepened, brow furrowing in concern.

"What happened? Is she alright."

Jack halted, his hands still for a long second. He then returned to changing the gauze on Hank's arm. When he spoke, he was short and straight to the point.

"Fractured bones along her neck and close to her spinal cord, a cracked skull and she's in a coma. They don't know when or if she'll wake up. The only reason I'm still here and not stuck in with a family member, in an orphanage or in a foster home is because I know government secrets now. That guy who knocked on the door if my government-appointed guard, and so I'm stuck here until my mom wakes up or they find someplace safe to stick me into."

Hank felt his heart sink. Jack was too good for this, he didn't deserve any of this! He felt the beast locked inside of him writhe slightly, and he had the urge to throttle those M.E.C.H people Jack spoke of. Shoving it down, Hank offered a sympathetic grimace.

"I'm...I'm so sorry."

Jack shrugged, feigning indifference.

"I'm just...I'm just staying hopeful, y'know? Having you around has actually helped, gave me something to do so that I could keep my mind off of things." He glanced up. "And thanks for not asking for clarification on the "government secrets" part."

Hank managed a weak smile.

"I know all about keeping secrets, I'm not about to pry into someone else's business."

Jack nodded, a feeble grin pulling at his lips.

"I guess you would know all about secrets, huh?"

Hank chuckled, but soon was frowning once more.

"But I still don't understand, why would you go back to a place that you no doubt hate a week later?"

Jack sighed, moving to the gauze at Hank's shoulder.

"To see if I could've done something more."

Hank looked taken aback.

"To...to _what_?"

Jack scowled, fidgeting slightly, uncomfortable.

"I kept wondering if there was something I could've done differently. I wanted to know if I'd done something, taken a different path or- or anything! If that would've made a difference, if it would've saved my mom." Jack had to pause and calm himself down as his words began to waver and come out in a jumble. Once sure that he could trust his voice once more, he continued. "So I snuck out while my bodyguard was passed out on the couch, and while I was looking around I...Well, I found you."

Jack managed a small smile, glancing up shyly for a split second before his gaze returned to his work, his face falling once more.

"You were in some sort of awful, electrified cage, and I couldn't just leave you there. So I managed to disconnect the electricity flow and short-circuit the lock, and I found a spare wheelbarrow nearby and brought you here. The rest is history."

While Hank couldn't help but marvel at the teen's intelligence (getting him out of that cage was no doubt difficult), but his worry about Jack and how he was handling the situation with his mother.

"So...They really don't know when your mother will wake up?" Hank asked quietly, trying to keep his voice soft and comforting. Jack scoffed.

"You kidding? Jasper's so small that there's no need for 'good' doctors usually. My mom's the best nurse there, and only a few of the doctors aren't in it just for they money."

Beast frowned, brow furrowing in concern.

"Then why hasn't she been taken to a better hospital?"

"No money." Jack grunted, sounding bitter. "And despite my friends' efforts, the government won't pay to have her moved. Something about having no permission to use funds on it or some scrap like that."

"That...That doesn't seem right." Hank admitted, and Jack hummed in agreement as he began to check some of the stitches on Beast's chest.

"Well, it is what it is. And so, since mom and I don't have enough money to move her to another hospital, let alone pay the hospital bill, she's stuck being cared for in a tiny, understaffed hospital. The only up-side is that the government is paying for her hospital bills as long as she's being cared for here in Jasper."

"So that means even if you managed to get her into a different hospital outside of the town-"

"They wouldn't pay for the bills, yeah."

Hank scowled.

"That's awful."

Jack sighed, anger draining from the lines of his face.

"It is what it is."

Silence fell between the two, Jack looking over Beast's wounds while the mutant man lost himself to his thoughts, watching the teen.

Jack was a good kid. He didn't judge others, even when they looked so feral like Hank himself did...

And yet, despite how kind he was, despite all the good he did, when he needed help he didn't get any. The boy didn't deserve this, and neither did his mother. If only the boy and his mother had lived in Bayville when this happened, then his mom would have at least ended up in the Bayville Hospital. Bayville's hospital was rated among the top five in the U.S, his mother would surely get good care if she was there...

Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he wrenched himself from his thoughts.

"Jack, if there was a chance to move your mother to a new hospital ward, that means you would have to live in a new state. Would you be willing to do that?"

The teen raised a brow at him.

"What? Yeah, of course. I mean sure, I'd miss my friends, but I'd do anything for mom."

Hank smiled slightly.

"What if I told you I have a friend who could get your mother into one of the best hospital's in the country?"

Jack's face lit up as he straightened, seeming excited.

"Really?! You could do that?!"

"Of course. I owe you a big favor, since you saved my life, and I'm sure that my friend Charles Xavier would be willing to pull a few strings and get your mother the best care that Bayville Hospital has to offer in return for your helping me."

Jack slowly shook his head.

"No, I...I couldn't ask you, _either_ of you, to do that." He said hurriedly. "I didn't help you so that you'd owe me a favor-"

"I know." Hank interjected, smiling warmly. "But it isn't fair that someone as nice and understanding as you should have to go through all this, and it isn't fair that your mother is stuck not getting the best care."

Jack looked unsure.

"You...You could really do it? Get my mom into a new hospital?" He half-whispered, seeming to scarcely believe it. The hope on Jack's face was almost painful for Hank to see.

"Of course, I'm sure the Professor would be more than happy to help. And while she's recovering, you could stay at the Institute."

Jack frowned slightly.

"I don't know if the gov will go for that, I mean...They want to make sure I don't go something where I won't be protected-"

"While the general public doesn't know about the existence of mutants, the government is fully aware of us, as well as the Institute. There are very few places safer than a school full of mutants."

Jack didn't look too sure, but he smiled, nodding all the same.

"I...I would be really grateful, if you managed to do that. I know mom will be grateful to you guys too, when she wakes up."

 _If_ she woke up, Jack mused, but he quickly shoved that thought away. He took in the welcoming, warm smile that Hank was offering, and the past two weeks were suddenly slamming down on him full force. The teen ducked his head when his eyes stung with tears as, for the first time, things felt like they would work out just fine.

"Th...Thanks, Mr. Mccoy." He managed, offering a watery smile. "This...I didn't really expect any of this when I brought you here."

"Well, that makes two of us." Hank chuckled, patting the teen's shoulder. "I didn't expect to wake up to a teenager just _staring_ at me."

A surprised laugh slipped past Jack's lips as he rubbed at his eyes, head still down to hide the wetness on his cheeks. Hank could still tell, though. The man reached forward, ruffling the teen's hair.

"Hey, it'll be okay, Jack. I'm sure of it."

The boy nodded.

"Yeah...Yeah, I really hope so." He stood, grabbing the empty tray from the nearby desk. "I'm going to take this down real quick, and I'll grab you the house phone so you can let your friends know you're okay."

Hank nodded, smiling encouragingly. Jack returned the smile hesitantly before leaving the room.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello everyone! Thanks for the favs, follows and reviews! You're all awesome!**

 **So, I wanted to get this chapter out yesterday, but that didn't happen -.-' But I finished it today! So TA-DA! XD**

 **Please continue to review, whether it is to share ideas (I really want to know if you all think Jack should or shouldn't be a mutant, and if he should, what kind of power should he have? Help me out here!) or just leave a review to let me know if you like the story!**

 **Sorry for any spelling errors, I'm still getting used to the keyboard on my new computer. It's so fragging tiny! DX**

 **Disclaimer's on my prof.!**

 **Enjoy reading!**

* * *

Jack quietly watched Hank as the large mutant fumbled momentarily with the phone in his hand, the man's large fingers dwarfing the phone.

"Do you need some help?"

Hank sighed frustratedly, shaking his head.

"No, no. I've got it. I've handled phones before."

Jack bit his lip, ducking his head to try and hide a grin. Hank sent a half-hearted glare.

"Oh yeah, laugh it up." He nudged the boy's shoulder just hard enough to knock him off his seat. The teen yelped, hitting the ground with a thud.

Hank chuckled, ignoring the scowl sent his way in favor of dialing a number on the phone while Jack picked himself back up.

The line rang a few times and Hank was somewhat worried. It was late at night, and while he'd called one of the students he knew would likely be awake, he wasn't sure. His worries were laid to rest when there was a click as someone picked up.

"Hello?"

Relieved, Hank smiled at the tired voice.

"Kitty, it's-"

"Mr. Mccoy!"

Hank winced at the somewhat shrill shriek, holding the phone away from his ear momentarily before returning it to its place.

"Yes, Kitty, it's me. I need you to-"

"Are you, like, okay?! We've all been, like, so worried! What-"

" _Kitty_." Hank said sternly. The girl fell silent, and Beast finally managed to speak uninterrupted. "Kitty, take a deep breath, alright? I'm alright, I promise, but I need you to go and get Professor X on the phone for me, okay?"

"Right! Just give me a minute!"

Hank waited patiently, somewhat concerned when he heard crashing, stumbling and yelling on the other side of the line. From what Hank could hear, Kitty was waking up the whole Institute as she rushed to get the Professor. Jack seemed to be able to somewhat hear the commotion, and sent a raised brow towards Hank, who shrugged sheepishly. After a couple of minutes, the Professor's voice finally filtered through.

"Hank? Thank goodness, we've been looking for you for days! Are you alright?"

Beast smiled.

"I'm alright, don't worry. I was found by...Well, let's just I've made a new friend."

Jack all but glowed at that, making Hank's smile widen.

"I'm glad to know that you are safe, Hank. Where are you? I can send Logan and Ororo over right away-"

"Actually, I need you to come here. Leave Ororo with the students so that the kids have some supervision, but I need your help over here."

Hank could all but see the Professor raise a brow.

"Oh? Is something wrong?"

"Not wrong, but...I owe my new, young friend a favor, and I need your help. I'll explain when you get here. I'm in Jasper, a small town in Nevada. We'll meet you at, uh..." Hank looked at Jack, gesturing for the boy to give him a safe location to meet with the Professor. Jack quickly grabbed a pen and paper from his desk and scribbled something down before presenting it to Hank, who read it aloud. "Under the Route 78 Overpass. Wait, Overpass...?"

Jack shrugged with a sheepish expression, and Hank chuckled, shaking his head good-naturedly.

"Alright. Well, he's saying it's safe, so..."

"Who exactly is 'he'?"

"I'll formally introduce you when you get here, but right now...Well, right now, time's of the essence, so please hurry."

"Of course." The Professor replied, trusting his friend without any doubt at all. "It should only take a two or so hours, three at most. Stay safe."

"You too."

The call disconnected, and Hank handed the phone back to Jack.

"So..." The teen spoke up hesitantly. "Your friend's on his way, then?"

The boy's face showed painful hope and excitement, and Beast nodded.

"Everything's set. Now we just have to get under that overpass. You're sure that's safe, though?"

Jack snored.

"You kidding? Of course it is! That overpass has been blocked off for years, no one goes there anymore. I just figured if we met up under it that would just be extra security. The only real issue is getting down their without aggravating your injuries..."

"I'll be fine, Jack." Hank replied, reaching forward and patting the teen's shoulder. "Let's just worry about getting your mother the care she needs."

Jack beamed at that thought. Everything was going to be okay!

At least...At least he hoped so.

* * *

It had taken a good thirty minutes to get Hank out of the house without him being spotted. Jack had managed, though, to convince Arcee that he was doing good and that she should go get some nice recharge back at Autobot HQ. After that, it was mostly just a matter of being quiet enough to sneak by Jordie, who was passed out on the couch (though being silent was still a feat, considering that Hank was injured and with how big he was he kept bumping his injured arms on the walls in a painful manner).

But they'd managed in the end, and Jack carefully helped Hank into his mother's car which had been stuck in the driveway the past two weeks. Grabbing the extra key from the garage, Jack clambered into the driver's seat, trying to ignore how his heart twisted painfully at the lingering scent of his mother's perfume in the car.

The drive, then, was relatively calm and quiet. Now and then, Hank would ask something, like why the overpass they were headed to was closed (it had been deemed an ineffective and dangerous route to take over the canon) or how long Jack had lived out in Jasper (and truth be told, before the 'bots, Jack had never been out of state).

It took a good hour to get to the spot, much to Hank's surprise. He'd been worried that the overpass was close to Jasper. But no, it was far from the outskirts, and Beast couldn't help but worry about how Jack felt going somewhere so far from the hospital.

Yet Jack looked perfectly fine, his face calm and eyes peaceful (and still just as unsettling, for some unexplainable reason). So Hank didn't ask, just in case the teen didn't want a reminder of the situation. So Hank instead busied himself by again looking over his healing injuries.

Jack had done a wondrous job, especially for his age and lack of experience. His mother had taught him well...

It was when Beast was examining a particularly large gash on his left forearm that Jack broke the silence that had fallen over them.

"That one was infected when I brought you home." He stated, eyes still on the road even as Hank looked at him. "Your fever from it broke only two days ago."

Hank winced. He knew how hard fighting off illness from an infected wound was.

"Sorry that you had to deal with that."

Jack sent him a bewildered look.

"Why? You're the one who went through the fever and nausea-"

"Nausea?"

Jack shrugged.

"Well yeah, you know that's a side effect. You don't have to be awake to throw up." A slight laugh. "Good thing I have good reflexes and a wastebasket in my bedroom."

Hank felt an odd combination of embarrassment, pride and growing fondness, the last two of those directed to Jack. He'd only been awake for about eight hours, yet he felt like he'd known Jack his whole life. That could be, though, because he all but wore his heart on his sleeve...

They'd only really known each other for a few hours, but Hank already trusted Jack like he did the other teens at the Institute. Maybe it was his more animalistic instincts, he mused. People always said an animal could tell is someone was good, bad, honest, a liar... And goodness knows he'd already inherited so many animal-like qualities, he wouldn't be surprised if he had that instinct too.

And then there was the fact that Jack had actually managed to bring him out of his rage, had somehow managed to coax the beastly-side of Hank so that the man inside could return to the surface and regain control.

He hadn't realized he had been staring at Jack until the teenager shifted awkwardly in his seat and sent the mutant a somewhat confused look.

"Uh...Is there something on my face, or...?"

Hank blinked, returning to reality.

"Hm?"

Jack's eye turned back to the road.

"You, uh, you were staring."

A look of surprise swept over Hank's face, followed by sheepishness.

"Sorry, I was just thinking."

Jack smiled slightly as he parked the car by an old, half-collapsed overpass. The structure, while having collapsed at the middle, was still an impressive structure that looked to stretch over a two hundred foot wide canyon. At Hank's raised brows, Jack laughed.

"Relax, the canyon's not that deep. Now c'mon, we need to figure out a way to get down there without aggravating your injuries."

Hank nodded, carefully climbing out of the car. Jack followed suit, only pausing to grab a flashlight from the glovebox before moving around to help Hank. Once they were both in the open, Jack switched on the flashlight and helped Hank towards the canyon as he looked around, seeming to search for something.

"If I remember right, there's a staircase that the construction workers used to get to the bottom of the canyon. It should be right...Here."

Jack grinned triumphantly as they found an old, long, sturdy (though not in any way fancy) set of stairs. Jack was right about the canyon. It was only one-and-a-half stories or so. As they worked their way down carefully, Hank glanced at Jack.

"You sure know a lot about this place."

Jack shrugged.

"When I was younger, I liked to explore. It drove mom..." His face fell, his voice tapering off slightly for a moment. He then grimaced, seeming to steel his resolve and finished what he was saying. "It always drove mom crazy."

Hank grimaced as well.

"We're going to help her, Jack. I promise."

Jack nodded.

"I know." A nervous glance towards Hank. "Do you really think this Professor guy will help?"

"Without a doubt." Beast replied confidently. "Charles is a good man. Once I explain things to him, he'll be more than happy to help. In fact, I'm sure that he will insist you stay at the Institute while your mother's recovering."

Jack managed a hesitant smile.

"He sound's great."

Hank chuckled, inclining his head in agreement.

"He is."

Jack's smile gave way to a frown.

"I just...I wish I could feel like this is all justified." At the questioning look Hank sent him, the teen clarified. "I mean, I know I helped you and all, but that was just the decent thing to do, y'know? And if mom get's moved, then that means that this Professor guy will get stuck with the medical bill, and that just doesn't seem right. Then there's the whole staying at the Institute thing, I mean, how do you guys know you can trust me? How do _you_ know you can trust me?"

Hank suddenly stopped walking, so Jack halted as well, looking up at Hank in confusion. The man had an odd look on his face-

Jack yelped as a large, furry hand ruffled his hair.

"H-hey!"

Hank was smiling again, the expression warm and kind.

"Let's just say I have a mean set of instincts and leave it at that. Jack, even a blind man would be able to tell that you haven't got a mean bone in your body. Besides, if you're keeping those government secrets for your friends still, even after everything that's happened with your mom?" He shook his head with a chuckle. "Well, I don't think many people would do that."

Jack all but glowed, and Hank absently wondered if this boy ever got any praise. Obviously he didn't bet much, with how the teen reacted to the praise Beast had offered. Hank shoved that thought away, though, and lightly squeezed Jack's shoulder.

"Come on, let's get down there, the Professor should be here soon."

Jack nodded, readjusting the arm over his shoulders and continuing to help the mutant man down the steps.

"So, anything I should know before meeting the Professor?"

Hank shrugged.

"Not really. He's a mutant, but his mutation isn't physical. Actually, that's the case for most mutants, it's much less common to find a mutant who's physical appearance is permanently changed by their mutation. Usually, a mutant has either a non-physical mutation, or they can change their appearance, but they can still change back. Anyways, the Professor looks completely human, so don't worry, you won't be shocked or anything when he leaves the jet. He probably has Logan with him, he's one of the Institute's faculty. He's got a bit of a temper, but his heart's in the right place, so don't worry if he's a little...coarse."

"And how coarse is coarse exactly?"

Hank chuckled, shaking his head.

"You'll see. Like I said though, he's got a good heart, he cares about every single kid at the Institute, whether he admits it or not."

Jack smiled slightly. That sounded almost like Ratchet. If this man was anything like the grumpy Autobot medic, then Jack knew he'd be fine.

They finally reached the bottom of the steps, and Jack helped Hank over to a large boulder so that the man could sit. By now, the furry mutant was exhausted, his wounds making the climb down seem like a marathon. Jack stood by the boulder, arms crossed over his chest as he tried to hide his anxiety. It was about twenty-four minutes later that a rumbling filled the air and seemed to shake the ground as a large, silver form descended from the sky, highlighted by the light of dawn just barely peeking past the horizon. Jack watched in awe as the giant aircraft slowly landed, kicking up dust and dirt as it did so. Hank couldn't help but grin at Jack's expression.

Once the jet had shut off, a ramp descended.

Jack had been prepared for a lot of things. What he wasn't prepared for was the wheelchair-bound man that carefully rolled down the ramp and up to him and Hank.

Carefully, Hank stood, letting Jack hide half-way behind him. The teen watched as another man, this one tall and tough-looking followed the handicapped man. Both men stopped a foot or two away.

Hank shifted slightly, laying a hand on Jack's shoulder.

"Professor, meet Jackson Darby." Dark eyes turned to Jack. "Jack, this is Professor Charles Xavier, founder of Xavaier's Institute."


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey all! Sorry this took so long to type up, but I got hooked on a couple of games the past week (Batman Arkham Asylum and Batman Arkham City, lol XD) as well as working on a TFPXBatman crossover I've been trying to make a first chap for, and so it took a little longer than the other chaps! Sorry about that XP**

 **Thanks as always to all of you who read, review, fav and follow! Recently, Fanfiction has been seeming to have issues, as it seems that I can't see some reviews, but I can see the review number going up and so even though I can't read them, I appreciate them all the same! Please continue to review and share ideas and feedback!**

 **So, this chap is probably a little boring compared to the previous chaps. It's more of a filler than anything XP Also, characters might be a little OOC! I've only just recently gotten back into the Xmen: Evo fandom!**

 **Disclaimer's on my prof.!**

 **Enjoy reading!**

* * *

Jack wasn't quite sure what to think, staring at the wheelchair-bound man. All he really knew was that he felt somewhat uncomfortable when the man's gaze turned to him. He half expected the man to frown and state that he shouldn't be there.

But to his surprise, the man _smiled_.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, young man."

Jack returned the smile hesitantly, nodding his head.

"Nice to meet you too." He managed, voice slightly quieted by his anxiety.

Hank smiled, gesturing to the man beside the Professor.

"And this is Logan, a fellow member of the Institute's faculty."

Jack inclined his head in greeting, and the man, Logan, grunted in return. He then glanced over at the Professor, crossing his arms.

"Looks like ya might'a missed a new mutant with Cerebro, Chuck."

Jack looked somewhat bewildered. Were they talking about him? Was it really so weird for a normal, non-mutant human to not freak out at the sight of Hank?

Hank chuckled, shaking his head.

"No, no. Jack isn't a mutant."

Two pairs of sharp eyes turned to Hank, the gruff-appearanced man looking incredulous, while the Professor looked intrigued and slightly surprised.

Logan's eyes narrowed, a frown curling at his lips.

"If he ain't a mutant, then why isn't he runnin' fer the hills. 'Cause, no offense, but you don't exactly look human."

Hank rolled his eyes good-naturedly, smirking slightly. Jack jumped slightly as the furry man then patted his shoulder while still looking at Logan.

"Jack's...Well, let's just say he's one-of-a-kind."

Jack's cheeks became a dusty red with embarrassment and he suddenly found his shoes very interesting. Hank smiled at this, chuckling, while the Professor turned a curious gaze onto Jack.

"Wait, lemme get this straight: he's not a mutant but you told him about us?" Logan demanded, making Jack wince. Logan went to continue, but the Professor held up a hand, a signal for him to stop. Logan did so, albeit it was a low growl, while the Professor returned his attention to Jack.

"So you are the one who found and helped Hank?" Jack gave a slight start at being addressed, but nodded all the same.

"Uh, y-yeah. I did." A hesitant glance towards Hank. "He was really hurt when I found him, so...So I took him back to my house and took care of him. He was out cold for a week, but...But he finally woke up around five o'clock yesterday."

"He's done more than any other human might do for a mutant like me." Beast added. "And I want to be able to return the favor. Especially with the...Precarious, situation his mother is in."

"His mom?" Logan asked, raising a brow. "What's she gotta do with this?"

"Like I said, I want to return the favor to Jack." Hank glanced at the Professor. "Do you still have some connections at the Bayville Hospital?"

The Professor frowned, nodding.

"Yes, but I don't understand-"

Hank turned to Jack, making the Professor pause. Smiling, Hank nudged Jack's arm.

"Tell the Professor what you told me." At the unsure look the teen sent him, Beast offered a supportive expression. "It's alright. Just tell him the same thing you told me."

Jack decided to trust Hank on this and, taking a deep breath, he launched into his tale. He told the Professor about how his mother had been kidnapped. He told him how his mother almost died. He told him how she was now in a coma, and even about how the government refused to pay for better care for his mother (whether because they really couldn't spend the funds or just didn't care, Jack still wasn't sure). He didn't pause and he didn't look up, afraid that if he stopped at all in his explanation, he might not be able to continue. It was hard enough to think about his mother, let alone talk about why she was in the situation she was in now.

Finally, he finished his story and all fell silent, Jack catching his breath as he glanced up. The two new mutants didn't look like they didn't believe him, though the man named Logan had a brow raised and was looking over at the Professor.

"He tellin' th' truth?"

Jack's expression became confused, and Hank was quick to explain.

"The Professor's mutation is psychic abilities. Mostly in the form of mind reading, mind influence and telekinesis. Therefore, being able to see a person's thoughts, he can tell if they are being truthful."

Jack immediately began to panic. What if the man now knew about Optimus and the others?! What if-

"There's no need for alarm." The Professor spoke, making Jack jump and look at him. The Professor offered a kind smile. "I understand boundaries. I only scratched the surface of your thoughts, just to ensure you were being truthful. Anything private concerning your government friends or these 'secrets' you mentioned are still safe. I promise, I never pry."

Jack nodded, still a little nervous. After all, he didn't know this man, or if he was being truthful. Hank patted the teen's shoulder, hoping to offer some form of support as he glanced at the Professor.

"Do you think you can help? You have connections with the personal in Bayville's hospital, as well as the government. Could you arrange for Jack's mother to be sent there?"

"What about th' kid?" Logan asked gruffly. Hank shrugged.

"I figured he could stay at the Institute until his mother recovers." At Logan's near-incredulous expression, the furred mutant quickly added. "He might not be a mutant, but he doesn't judge us, and I highly doubt that he would go tell anyone about us. I don't see any reason he can't stay with us for awhile."

Logan scowled.

"Fer one thing, he could get hurt. We've got half-way trained mutant kids who're also goin' through puberty! Th' Institute ain't exactly a safe haven righ' now!"

"I'll keep an eye on him to make sure he stay's safe."

"An' if th' Brotherhood hears wind of him?"

"Again, I'll be keeping an eye on Jack."

Jack felt the niggling beginnings of worry sprout in his chest, and he moved forwards slightly.

"Please, my mom won't last long with the care she's getting right now. The hospital doesn't care, the government doesn't...This is the best chance my mom has. I promise, I won't cause any trouble! I'll- I'll stay out of everyone's way, and I'll help out around the Institute with chores and stuff!"

Logan, for all his muscle, nerves of steel and gruffness, could never manage to resist the wide-eyed, almost puppy-like stare that everyone under the age of eighteen could manage. With a sigh, the man rubbed the back of his neck.

"Jeez...Alright, _alright_! Jus'... _quit_ it with tha' look!"

Hank chuckled slightly while Jack smiled gratefully.

"Jack, why don't you go wait up in the car? I'll figure out the details with the Professor and then I'll come join you."

Jack looked at Beast, nodding.

"Alright, no problem." A thankful expression in the Professor and Logan's direction. "Thank you so, _so_ much."

The three mutants watched the teen head for the car for a moment, then the Professor spoke.

"You seem to be close with the boy, despite only having met him hours ago."

Hank shrugged.

"He's...special. I don't know how, but he is. Call it instinct, I guess."

The Professor turned a raised brow on Hank.

"And there's no more to it than that?"

Hank was silent for a moment, then,

"No. I mean look at me, he stitched up every cut on me and even splinted my broken fingers. He...He even managed to calm me down when my rage overtook me." The furred man turned his dark eyes onto the Professor. "Even you haven't ever managed that. You've helped me, sure, but he pulled me right out of my anger."

The Professor slowly nodded in understanding, obviously finding this to be food for thought.

"I see. Well, I suppose I better get to work, then. So I suppose you plan to stay with Jackson until all the arrangements are made? I brought you an image inducer, just in case."

Hank smiled, nodding.

"That's right. Thanks bringing that, you're always thinking ahead." He commented, taking the watch-like device that the Professor offered. The Professor chuckled.

"Yes, well, I've learned to always be prepared. Keep Jackson safe." Wizened eyes turned up toward the cliff side, where Jack had disappeared. "He is one of a kind. It isn't often that one without mutant abilities accepts those of us who do."

Hank hummed in reply, nodding once more.

"I know. I don't plan on leading him to think of us otherwise. I'll keep in touch."

* * *

It was a week later that all the preparations had been finalized. During that time, Hank had stayed at the motel that was only five minutes walk away from Jack's home, and Jack had spent that time trying to figure out what to say to the 'bots.

By day seven, there was no time left to plan. Everything was ready, and his mother would be transferred in the evening.

And so Jack walked into base, hands twisting together nervously. His fidgeting didn't go unnoticed by Optimus, who frowned slightly in concern.

"Jack, is everything alright? You seem...Distressed."

Jack gave a slight start, surprised that the Prime was addressing him. He then looked down, seeming almost guilty.

"Actually, I...I need to talk to all of you. It's important."

The other Autobots turned to the teen at hearing this, some looking curious, and some looking worried, especially Arcee.

"Something wrong, partner? Is your mom okay?"

Jack nodded hurriedly.

"Yeah, yeah she's fine! She's perfectly fine...Uh...but...this is kind of about her. And me."

By now Jack was aware of the entire room's attention on him, and that didn't help him find the right words.

"Has the government been giving you trouble about the hospital bills?" Arcee asked, raising a metal brow. Jack shook his head.

"No, nothing like that. It's...Uh...Well..." Jack forced down the lump in his throat. "There's this owner of an Institute that caught wind of how mom got kidnapped and hurt and...and he's been nice enough to pay for mom to be moved to one of the country's best hospitals."

"Hey, that's great!" Bulkhead said enthusiastically. "That means she'll get better care, right?"

Jack managed a smile.

"Y-yeah, that's right." His smile then fell. "The thing is...the hospital is in Bayville, a city in New York. The owner of the Institute has offered to let me stay in his school, but that means..."

Arcee's face fell with dread.

"You're leaving?"

Jack winced.

"I...Y-yeah. But not forever!" Jack quickly reassured. "Just until mom wakes up! And she's going to wake up, I know she will! But until then...Well, I've gotta stay with mom..."

A long silence fell, in which Jack waited for their reaction towards this news. He gave it a moment to settle in, and watched as Arcee and Optimus exchanged looks. They were likely conversing silently through their comlinks, Jack mused, as he continued to wait. Finally, Arcee looked to Jack.

"Let me go with you."

Jack winced. Scrap, now what? Jack couldn't let her come along, even as a motorcycle. The Institute was full of mutants, if the 'bots found out a secret so large like that-...

Then again, who would they tell? The government knew about the Institute and mutants in general, and the government officials were the only humans that the 'bots could talk to.

Jack trusted the 'bots more than anyone. He knew without a doubt he could trust them with this.

"I don't know, 'Cee. The Institute is...Unique."

"Unique?"

"It's a school for mutants."

Again, a long silence fell. Jack wasn't sure, for a moment, if they simply were surprised of they just didn't believe him. It was Optimus who broke the silence this time.

"Mutants..?"

Jack nodded.

"That's right. They're human, of course, they just...are a little different genetically. They can do things no normal human can do. One or two of them might realize you're living and not just a motorcycle, like the psychics that live there-"

" _Psychics_?" Ratchet looked befuddled. "I thought most humans regarded those as myths-"

"They do." By now, Jack was becoming frustrated. They were getting off topic! "But they're real. The point is, I don't think you should come, Arcee. I'm sure you can visit now and again with your holoform, but-!...But It would be best if you stayed." The teen gestured around. "You're needed here."

Arcee's faceplates fell.

"Jack..."

Jack managed a smile.

"I'll be fine, partner. Maybe I can 'bridge over here on the weekends even! But this...This is how things have to go. Mom doesn't stand a chance of pulling through while she's getting care in Jasper." A sorrowful look. "I've already lost a lot in my lifetime, 'Cee. I can't lose her."

Arcee grimaced, optics turning to the floor. She slowly nodded.

"I...I understand."

Jack felt relief begin to take hold, and he glanced at Optimus. The Prime smiled softly, inclining his helm. He agreed with all this, he thought Jack was making the right choice.

Jack had never felt so ecstatic or relieved as he felt right now.

Everything was going to be okay, he told himself. Everything would be okay.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey all! So...I know it's been awhile x-X I'm sorry! I had awful writers block! DX But its finally here! The new chapter! Its so shiny *_* lol XD**

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 **Enjoy!**

* * *

After saying his goodbyes and packing his things, Jack and Hank boarded an early flight to Bayville (the Professor and Logan having taken the jet back earlier in the week to make arrangements for June's transfer to the Bayville Hospital).

Even after a few days, Jack still was unused to seeing a human-appearanced Hank, and the teen couldn't help but wonder how much money the Professor had to invest in the image inducer around Hank's wrist...

Jack shook those thoughts away as he followed Hank down the narrow isle of the plane to their seats. Hank let Jack take the seat near the window, and he took the one beside the isle. It was strange, Jack mused, to sit in an airplane. He'd never been outside the state of Nevada, let alone boarded a plane. He wondered, absently, if he would like this once they were in the air.

The teen jumped when Hank lightly bumped his arm and he looked over. Hank offered a warm smile.

"You need to relax, Jack." The man stated quietly. "Your as stiff as a board."

Jack blinked, taken aback by this. He then realized that the man was right: Jack's back was aching with how straight he sat, and his teeth were clenched together tightly. Smiling sheepishly, Jack forced himself to slump slightly, rolling his shoulders in an attempt to loosen them.

"Sorry, I'm just...Just a bit nervous. I've never been on a plane before, so..."

"You'll be fine." Hank chuckled. "I don't take you for one to have motion-sickness."

Jack shrugged.

"No, but...I'm kind of nervous. My stomach's in a bit of a war with itself right now, so I'm a little...Nauseous."

Hank nodded in understanding.

"Ah, I see. Want to talk about what's got you so nervous?"

Jack shook his head quickly.

"No, I'll be fine. I can handle it myself."

Hank frowned to himself at this.

Over the past week, one thing he had learned quickly about Jack was that he had a tendency to keep things to himself. The boy would try to solve his own problems and tell no one about said issues, a rather unhealthy habit.

"Jack..."

The teen managed a smile.

"I'll be okay, I promise. I'm just nervous is all, I've lived in Jasper my whole life, so I'm a little on edge. Once we get to Bayville I'll be fine."

Hank slowly nodded in understanding.

"Alright, if you're sure. Let me know if you want to talk though, okay?"

Jack inclined his head, glancing out the window. He just wanted to get going as soon as possible and make sure his mom was okay. He could worry about trying to fit in at the Institute later.

* * *

It was one dull airline flight later that found Hank and Jack waiting in the airport parking garage for their ride. Hank had reassured Jack that he'd called the Professor to make sure that his mother had arrived to the hospital safe and sound, but Jack still appeared a bit flighty. It was obvious that the teen wanted to visit his mom as soon as possible, but Hank had patiently reminded him that they first had to get his luggage to the Institute, lest they run the risk of someone breaking into the car and stealing his things. Jack had grudgingly agreed, and so he now quietly sat on his suitcase, backpack held close to his chest and chin resting atop it.

Hank quietly watched the boy from where he stood by the curb. The teen was clearly worried about his mother, his dark blue eyes staring into nothingness as the boy lost himself to his thoughts.

Despite how much he wished to, Hank knew he couldn't take Jack's worry away. No one could, really. Not when the boy's concern was about his own mother.

Hank glanced back at the parking garage ramp and smiled when he saw a familiar red convertible sports car turn the corner.

"Looks like Scott's here with our ride. C'mon Jack," The man reached down, taking hold of the teen's arm and hoisting him up to his feet. "Up you get."

Jack, suddenly finding himself on his feet, quickly caught his balance and grabbed his suitcase, shouldering his backpack and turning to look at the car in question. He gave a low whistle of appreciation as he took in the appearance of the sleek red vehicle.

"Wow."

Hank chuckled.

"Yes, Scott's car does tend to impress." As the car pulled up to the curb and Scott stepped out, Hank grinned. "Hey Scott."

The brown-haired young man smiled, moving up to Hank.

"You don't know how great it is to see that you're alright, Mr. Mccoy. Everyone's been really worried."

"I know. I didn't mean to make everyone worry, but I'm back."

Scott smiled, nodding. The young man then turned to Jack, smiling and offering a hand.

"You're Jack, right? All of us at the Institute owe you big time for helping Mr. Mccoy. I'm Scott."

Jack smiled back shyly, shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you. And considering what Professor Xavier's doing for my mom? You guy's don't owe me anything."

Scott grinned, inclining his head.

"Well, let's get to the Institute. We've got a room ready for you and everyone can't wait to meet you. Just warning you, though, when the other students get excited, things can get a little…chaotic."

Jack chuckled, grinning wryly.

"Don't worry, I'm used to a little chaos. I'll be fine."

Hank smiled slightly while Scott laughed, nodding his head in acceptance.

"Alright, let's go."

Hank grabbed Jack's suitcase for him, setting it in the middle of the backseat before taking the seat behind Scott. Jack took the other side of the backseat, and once everyone was buckled in, they started on their way.

Jack hadn't felt this nervous ever since the day he'd met the 'bots.

* * *

Jack wasn't sure what he'd exactly expected the Institute to look like. He was honestly surprised, though, by how much this place didn't seem like a school. It seemed like…Like a home.

The building was large, bigger than even the Jasper Jr. and Sr. Highschool was. There were woods surrounding it from behind and the left and right, and the lawn was green.

"Wow…"

Hank smiled warmly, patting Jack's shoulder.

"Its pretty great, right?"

Jack nodded slightly, still dumbstruck. Scott chuckled slightly as they pulled up before the front door. Stepping out of the car, Jack made sure to grab his backpack and suitcase and Hank left the car as well. Scott led the way to the door, followed by Hank and Jack, the older of the two having a supportive hand on Jack's shoulder. As they stopped before the door, Jack could already hear a commotion from inside: voices, running feet and a few heavy thuds.

"Better brace yourself." Scott warned Jack. The teen sent him a questioning look, but the young man had already opened the door.

The sight that greeted them was somewhat strange, or at least it was for Jack. The foyer was enormous and a large staircase led to a second level while a couple of corridors branched off the sides of the foyer. A good dozen or so kids of varying ages were scattered about the room, some squabbling or arguing, while others, mostly the older kids, were trying to calm those who were fighting. The Professor, who was by the staircase, looked as if he may be getting a headache, and a few feet away, Logan was trying to split up an argument between two young boys. Nearby, a woman with dark skin and pure white hair was shaking her head exasperatedly.

"Well." Hank spoke up, voice loud enough that he could be heard, and everyone froze, looking up. "Not quite the 'welcome home' I was expecting."

There were a few long moments of silence, in which several pairs of eyes blinked owlishly. Then…

"Mr. Mccoy!"

Jack barely managed to jump out of the way as a stampede of kids and teenagers clustered around Hank. The man chuckled, removing the image inducer from his wrist as he let several young, enthusiastic mutants hug him and share excited words of joy at his return. Jack watched quietly (and perhaps somewhat awkwardly) as Hank, now back to his regular appearance, patted the students on their arms or backs.

"Hey, hey! Easy there, I'm fine, but I can't breathe with all of you hanging onto me!"

The kids laughed, separating somewhat and untangling themselves. A boy with dark skin and blonde hair grinned.

"Glad to see you're okay, Mr. Mccoy."

Hank smiled in return, reaching out and patting Jack's shoulder.

"I wouldn't be if it weren't for Jack."

Jack immediately froze as several pairs of eyes fell onto him. Scrap, he was no good at social interactions…

Luckily, he didn't have to handle introductions. The Professor rolled forward, smiling warmly.

"Children, this is Jackson Darby. As I told everyone earlier this week, he will be staying at the Institute for awhile. Please make sure to take the time to introduce yourselves and get to know him. If he needs any help finding his way around, I expect you all to help him, and ensure he feels welcome." A warning look to the students. "Jack is not a mutant, and therefore is not capable of protecting himself if anyone's powers go out of control. Please try to restrain using your abilities too much while around him."

There were several disappointed groans, and Jack shook his head, looking at the Professor.

"That's okay, they don't need to worry about using their…uh…" He struggled to find the right word. "Talents, around me. I can handle myself just fine."

The Professor smiled once more while Hank chuckled.

"All the same," The Professor replied. "I'd rather they take care as well, just as they must when around others who are not aware of the existence of mutants."

Jack frowned, glancing at his feet.

"That….That doesn't seem fair."

Just like the 'bots having to hide from humans wasn't fair, he mused.

A few of the kids looked surprised, as did the man (Logan, if Jack correctly recalled) and the woman with pure white hair. Even Hank and the Professor expressed some small amount of shock at Jack's blatant statement. Jack had only known about mutants for just over a week, yet he already showed no fear or hatred towards them. As he turned his eyes back to the gathered group, it was clear to see it in Jack's eyes: he saw the residents of the Institute as equals. He didn't view them as strange or different, to the teen, he seemed to see mutants as just…People. Just people.

This seemed to be enough encouragement for one of the students to step forward. Surprisingly, it was Rogue (and considering her antisocial tendencies, more than a few of the others were alarmed and confused by this uncharacteristic act).

As dark blue eyes turned to her, Rogue offered a gloved hand.

"Ah'm Rogue."

Jack smiled, taking the offered hand and shaking it.

"Nice to meet you, Rogue. I know the Professor already told all of you, but I'm Jack."

Seeming to be further emboldened, Rogue grinned, nodding.

"Hope ya like it here. Jus' warnin' ya, it can get loud."

Jack chuckled as he released her hand, shoving his own in his pockets.

"I'm sure I can handle it. My friend Miko always played heavy metal music when we hung out."

Rogue nodded. Hank moved forward, resting a large hand on Jack's upper back.

"Why don't we take your stuff up to your room, then we can go visit your mom in the hospital."

Rogue frowned, brow furrowing.

"Hospital?"

Jack grimaced, nodding to Hank.

"Yeah, that sounds good." He looked at Rogue. "That's why I'm here, didn't the Professor tell you? In return for saving Mr. Mccoy, the Professor pulled some strings and made it so my mom could come get some premium care in the Bayville Hospital. My mom, she's…In a coma, you see."

The atmosphere of the room dropped like a rock, and Rogue's face fell.

"Oh…Ah'm…Ah'm so sorry, I didn' mean-"

"Its fine." Jack interjected. "You didn't know, don't worry about it." Jack managed a weak smile as he looked at the other students. "Its been great meeting all of you, I hope we can get to know one another better."

There was a quiet chorus of farewells, and Hank led Jack up the stairs and towards the room that had been set up for the boy.

Jack just really wanted to see his mother. Then he could finally feel like he could breathe.


End file.
